


tea and wicker chairs

by theycallme_ook



Series: school sanctioned fanfiction [3]
Category: Batman Beyond
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Gen, antiwar sentiment, set in 1915, the bb friend squad, wwi is going on but the US is not a part of it yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29983677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theycallme_ook/pseuds/theycallme_ook
Summary: The year is 1915, four friends are gathered for afternoon tea in an affluent neighborhood of Gotham, and Chelsea Cunningham burst into the room singing.
Relationships: Terry McGinnis & Chelsea Cunningham & Maxine Gibson & Dana Tan
Series: school sanctioned fanfiction [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2156736
Kudos: 1





	tea and wicker chairs

**Author's Note:**

> this one wasn't actually for a grade, but I needed something easy to write in between my bigger fics and history is my jam so. viola.

The year is 1915, four friends are gathered for afternoon tea in an affluent neighborhood of Gotham, and Chelsea burst into the room singing.

_ “Ten mi-llion soldiers to the war have gone who may never return aga-in!” _

“Oh goodness.”

_ “Ten mi-lion mothers hea-rts must break for the ones who died in va-in!” _

“This again?”

“She’s on a campaign.”

_ “Head bowed down in sorrow in her lonely years, I heard a mother murmur through her te-ars~!”  _ then aside, “You all know the chorus, I’d best hear you singing.”

Maxine, who was the least confident in her musical abilities, sighed, but still joined Dana, Terry and Chelsea for their amateur acapella rendition of ‘I Didn’t Raise My Boy to be a Soldier', performed live for the stunning audience of zero in Chelsea’s sunroom.

_ “I~ didn’t raise my boy to be a so-ildur, I brought him up to be my pride and jo-y! _

_ “Who dares to place a musket on his shou-lder, to shoot some other mother’s darling boy~? _

_ “Let nations arbitrate their future trou-bles, it’s time to lay the sword and gun away~ _

_ “There’d be no war today, if mothers all would say, I didn’t raise my boy to be a so-ldier!” _

“Brv-ah,” said Maxine while giving a total of two sarcastic claps. “I’m sure they heard us all the way in Washington, that time.”

“Max, darling, I know you didn’t mean that.” sniffed Chelsea, placing the tray of refreshments she had brought from the kitchen on the table between them.

“I agree with the sentiment, Chels, I just don’t appreciate you holding my cookies for ransom.”

“I would do no such thing!”

“You  _ have _ done it before, Chels,” said Terry.

“Well perhaps today I would’ve been merciful. I’m in good spirits.”

The other three exchanged a look. 

“Alright, I’ll bite.” said Dana, finally. “What’s got you feeling so gay?”

Chelsea beamed.

“Jackie Wallace has agreed to come with us to the Hewett House. She couldn’t stay but she came to call just now to tell me.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Dana in surprise. “She’s been looking to come for ages, what’s finally changed her mind?”

“Don’t know. I think she’s finally gaining some grit, though. She was so despondent after that fight with her father, I’m just glad she’s on the mend.” replied Chelsea, pouring out cups of tea.

“Goodness, was that really three whole months ago? She dropped everything because of it. She’s been so miserable I almost couldn’t bear to watch. Has she told anyone what it was about?” said Terry, accepting the cup Max handed him.

“No.” said Dana.

“Not me.” said Chelsea.

“Max, you’ve been talking to Jackie recently, haven’t you?”

Max fiddled with the cup in her hands. “Well, yes. But not about her father, much. And besides, it’s not really my place to say.”

“Well that’s fine. As long as she’s talking to someone about it.”

“Speaking of speech, Max, do you think you’re going to tell Jackie about, you know?”

Max shrugged. “Too soon to tell, I think.”

“That’s fair.”

Chelsea took the lull in conversation to really study her friends. Sitting here with her in the sunroom, shielded for a moment from worries about the beat of that great war drum or their myriad of other troubles by wire screens and a spring breeze, they looked more content than when she usually saw them. Maxwell - _ Maxine _ . It’s Maxine when it’s just the four of them- Maxine especially looked happier. Chelsea couldn’t blame him-  _ her _ . She couldn’t blame her. It had been strange to try and understand, at first, but Maxine had explained things well. Chelsea could only imagine what it felt like. She liked her own body, but the idea of being born in the wrong one? She didn’t know how Max did it. Max with her body and brilliance, Dana with her drive to be a reporter, Terry with helping his family’s finances. All her friends were so resilient, but she wished they didn’t have to be. 

_ Honestly _ , she thought as she took a sip of her tea,  _ that’s why I started these silly little tea parties. Life’s hard enough, we all need a place to just feel cozy. _

She bit into a cookie and thought of the song she had sung. 

_ Even if only for a little while, I suppose. _

**Author's Note:**

> "I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Soldier" is an actual song written in 1915 and was a hit amongst those not in support of joining the war. One of my fav version is @ http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4942  
> The Hewett House is a fictional Settlement House in Gotham. Settlement houses were like the precursor to community centers & shelters. Often sponsored by private citizens and staffed by volunteers, these houses were focused on providing education, health, and daycare services. Wiki @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlement_movement  
> Trans people have always existed and so have good friends who love and support them <3


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